A winter storm affected parts of the mid-ohio valley on the night of
the December 8th before tapering off in the pre-dawn hours of December
9th. After it was all said an done a potpourri of winter weather was observed
across the Charleston WFO area of responsibility. Precipitation arrived
in southern West Virginia thursday evening then raced northeast reaching
the northern mountains of West Virginia and southeastern Ohio around 7pm.
Weather started out as a mixture of sleet in the I-79 corridor south to
Williamson, meanwhile in the tri-state area saw a mixed of freezing rain
and snow, since surface temperatures where in the lower 30s. In the mountains,
precipitation took the form of freezing rain before switching over to
rain after about two hours. Higher elevations in the central and northern
mountains picked up a quick two to three inches before changing over to
freezing rain for a short period then to all rain.

Low pressure moved rapidly northeast from the lower Ohio Valley up through
Indiana and northern Ohio. Southerly winds out ahead of the system in
conjunction with sunshine during the morning hours allowed surface temperatures
to rise into the upper 30s to lower 40s in the lowlands. In the meantime,
the atmosphere at the ground remained dry as dewpoints only where in the
upper teens to mid 20s. This allowed for a brief period of sleet in the
lowland counties adjacent to the mountains before changing over to rain.
Southeast winds kept temperatures at or below freezing in the central
mountains and Pocahontas county throughout the day. As a result, freezing
rain was the dominant precipitation type in the central mountain since
warm air just above the surface melted the snow falling from above and
changed it to freezing rain.

Farther north in Pocahontas county, much like Beckley, southeast winds kept
temperatures below freezing and with the atmosphere cold enough for snow,
all snow was observed. Five inches of the white stuff was recorded before
it was all said and done throughout Pocahontas county. To the west in
eastern Randolph county, all snow was observed as well. Slightly lower
amounts were recorded, generally two to four inches.

After the initial round of freezing rain, sleet, or some snow, precipitation
changed to all rain as southwesterly winds funneled in warmer allowing temperatures
to rise into the mid and upper 30s over the entire area.

Winter Storm warning were up for the northern and central mountains of West
Virginia, which worked well as a quarter inch of ice was observed, outside Pocahontas
county where warning criteria snow was attained. Winter weather Advisories were
hoisted for the southern part of West Virginia, Northeastern Kentucky, and Southern
Ohio. For a graphical look at snow and ice accumulation for the entire event,
a map is supplied below.